As early as January this year, some men of God began making predictions about who would eventually win Election 2016.

They include Ghanaian prophets, Agyemang Prempeh, Emmanuel Kofi Enim and Owusu Bempah, as well as Nigerian, Prophet Joshua Iginla.

Most of the predictions, though, have centred on the flag bearers of the two leading political parties – the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The issue of prophesies is a very common phenomenon, especially during each election year. But while some people take those prophesies with a pinch of salt, others put a lot of premium on the predictions.

The involvement of the clergy or prophets in the administration of nations dates back to biblical times when the prophets of some nations had great influence in governance issues since they were the mouthpiece of God.

Prophesies from Ghana

Prophet Akwasi Agyemang Prempeh of the Springs of Joy Ministries International on “Good Evening Ghana”, a programme hosted by Paul Adom Okyere, recently said unlike President Mahama, most of the presidential aspirants were double-minded and tried to blend the worship of God with other lesser gods in their quest to win power, which made President Mahama the favourite to win the upcoming election.

He again stated that the fact that the President managed to win the election on the back of just five months of campaign in 2008 was an indication that he was highly favoured by God and that he would win the 2016 Election.

Although the Founder and Leader of the Glorious Word and Power Ministry, Prophet Owusu Bempah, had earlier prophesied that the Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, would win the 2016 election, Prophet Prempeh said he was confident that his own prophesy would come to pass.

Prophet Bempah declared on TV3’s show – Restoration - on March 1, 2016 that “What I see is what I say. [In the] 2016 elections, Nana Akufo-Addo will win. Write it down today. But some events will occur again and that is what might bring about problems. God has even used me to prophesy NDC’s victory; they won. God is my witness…So when I say things and NDC members tag me as ‘NPP’ it is not true.”

Four months ago, he also laid out a set of doomsday prophecies for Ghana this year in an interview with Adom Fm, in which he said the country was in for some tough times in this election year.

In a report carried by the Ghanaian Times newspaper, the Founder and General Overseer of Word Victory Chapel International, Prophet Dr Emmanuel Kofi Enim, also prophesied victory for President John Dramani Mahama in the 2016 general election.

Claiming that he had earlier prophesied that the 2012 presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, would emerge as the winner in the NPP congress last year, Prophet Enim said God revealed the victory of President Mahama to him through a vision and asked him to make it known to Ghanaians as a sign of God’s endorsement of the President.

“In a very explicit vision, I saw the President seated on a presidential seat and clad in a white wear with an inscription ‘2016’. I asked God the meaning of the vision and He told me President Mahama was destined to win the 2016 general election and would be enthroned for the second time as president.”

“Nothing in this world can change this prophesy. Not even the current hardship and the devilish plots masterminded by the enemies of the President can change it. President Mahama is destined to win 2016 election and it shall be so,” he told the Ghanaian Times.

Abuja prophet

Again, the General Overseer of Champions Royal Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria, Prophet Joshua Iginla, has predicted a win for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In a list of 47 prophecies concerning Nigeria and other countries he released for the year in January, Prophet Iginla said in the 41st vision: "I see a robust economy and the Democrats still holding on to the seat in the election. The ruling party will retain the power. Ghana should pray against a plane crash.”

“It looks like a helicopter. I see a famous footballer packing his bag and saying goodbye. He is already having a kidney problem. He needs prayers between the months of April and October. The President should watch and pray because there are more enemies than friends."

The issue of false prophesies

Some naysayers have tagged the predictions as false or identified with the one that best suits them. Some bible verses, however, give some food for thought in listening to prophets.

In Jeremiah 26: 4-6 the Bible says …"And you will say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, "If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened; then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth."

Jeremiah 7:13 also states: “While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer.”

Jeremiah 25:4 says, “And though the LORD has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.”

So must we listen to prophesies from the men of God or not? Perhaps only the D-Day of Election 2016 would tell.